“Damn. That must have been hard on you.”

“My stepfather is a kind man, and I love him. My mother knew he’d not harm me when I was born, even knowing I’d been sired by a Fae, and he didn’t. He loved me for her sake. But she accepted his mate-claim out of expediency, not love.”

Sean touched the curls at the base of her neck. “That doesn’t mean you need to accept out of expediency, lass.”

“I know. But it made me not want a mate pairing without the mate bond, which was why I said no to Jared.” Andrea grimaced. “Well, that, and he’s an ass**le.”

“Even though the mate bond can tear us up in the end?” Sean slid his hands around her waist, under her coat. “In there, thinking of you being shot, falling at my feet, me having to stick my sword through you, like I had to with Kenny.” He swallowed. “I don’t ever want to have to do that, love. Never, ever.”

So that was the difference between Sean and Liam. What Liam saw as giving ground and retreating, Sean saw as keeping loved ones safe. Because Sean was the one who’d have to look at those loved ones last.

The thought made Andrea want to hold him. She slid her hands up his arms, loving the feel of the firm biceps beneath his coat, and locked her fingers behind his neck. Such strength and such compassion rolled into one male.

“Then you’ve changed your mind about wanting me as your mate?” Andrea had the right to walk out of the mate claim, but then, so did Sean. But the thought of him turning away from her made her heart suddenly ache.

“I should. To save myself from the hurting.”

“Can we ever? Hurting is part of life, isn’t it? So is happiness.”

Sean caressed the small of her back. “When did you become the wise one?”

“The day I told my whole Shiftertown I wouldn’t mate with that sorry excuse for a Lupine, no matter how much he and his friends terrorized me.”

Sean’s touch became stronger, his mouth relaxing. “I’d have given a lot to see that. I bet some wolf jaws dropped.”

“They didn’t exactly applaud me.”

“And you knew they wouldn’t. But you did it anyway. That’s my girl.” He sounded proud, which warmed her.

“Scariest thing I’ve ever done.” Well, that and meeting Sean for the first time, but the fear had been markedly different.

Sean’s mouth softened even more. “But you being brave doesn’t mean you’re strong enough to take a bullet through your body. Liam’s determined to keep the bar open, but I don’t want you working there for a while. Not until we get this thing solved.”

Andrea stepped back. “Wait a minute. Not go to work? Screw that.”

Sean looked at her in surprise. What, he was expecting her to meekly say, “Yes, Sean,” and obey? Looking into his eyes, she saw that he did. Oh, he did, did he?

“Andy-love, if I hadn’t thrown you to the floor that night, you’d have been hit. You were right in the line of fire.”

Andrea planted her hands on her hips. “If Liam can hire more guards and keeps the damn door closed, we’ll be fine.”

“Right. You’ll be fine walking home alone at night from the place. Fine stepping out in the dark to empty the trash. You don’t need to work; you’re provided for. Dad made sure this Shiftertown was filthy rich. The jobs are to give the human social workers something to put in their reports.”

“I know that. It’s not the point.”

“Waiting tables at a bar isn’t freedom, love. It’s showing humans what they want to see.”

Just because Sean was sexy, and she hoped they could form the mate bond, didn’t mean he couldn’t drive her crazy. “No, it’s helping out Liam. It’s the side bet I have with Annie on who can get the best tips out of the humans. It’s me with a bit of money of my own so I can buy myself a car and not have to depend on Morrissey handouts. It is freedom. To me.”

“But it isn’t safe.” The growl came into Sean’s voice. “Let Liam and me find these bastards and stop them first.”

“You and Liam don’t know who these people are or what they want or what they’ll do to get it. You’ll run off after them and get yourselves shot. Me, I’m just waiting tables in a bar protected by some very tough Shifters.”

Sean’s growl grew more pronounced. “So, what, you got yourself away from a crazed gobshite just to let yourself get offed in a drive-by?”

“What do you expect me to do?” Andrea didn’t bother to keep her voice down. “Lock myself in the house and never leave it? Or maybe in your house?”

“At least there I could keep an eye on you.”

“No.” She poked Sean’s chest. “I just got away from a creep who wanted to lock me up until I gave in to his mate-claim, every wolf in my pack happy to let him. Do you think I came here to hide myself away, cringing from every sound? Well, forget it. I’ll take my chances with the trigger-happy humans.”

She wrenched her boot heel from the muddy soil and marched away, but Sean was beside her in an instant. “You’re brave, lass, but stupid.”

“Oh, thank you very much. I understand, all right? You don’t want me to die, and I appreciate that. I don’t want to either. But I need to live my life, make my own decisions, take my own risks.”

“Be a lone wolf?” Sean laughed, but the laugh held no warmth. “We couldn’t afford that in the wild, and we can’t now.”